Haz clic aquí para leer esto en español
The tamale-making class at Rio Burritos in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
When the first full-service, brick-and-mortar location of Rio Burritos opened in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, last August, owner Phoebe Rios pondered how this family-run restaurant could quickly build a thriving business. Rio Burritos had operated for seven years (first as a food truck and later out of a ghost kitchen) — but having the new physical space brought new challenges and opportunities, too.
Rios had to fill tables every day but had more room to experiment with ways to entice customers than ever before.
“My sister Yolanda and I talked about how we could bring in new business and educate customers about the process we go through making our food and about our culture,” Rios recalls.
A 90-minute, interactive Tamales & Tequila Workshop that took participants through the step-by-step process of making authentic tamales and offered insights into the world of tequila production (complete with a few options for tasting tequilas) was the answer.
The first class, held on January 8, was a sell-out. It proved so popular that Rios added three events to the February calendar. One sold out almost immediately, and the others were almost full by early February.
During each class, participants leave with the tamales they’ve made, along with instructions on how to cook them; a recipe so they can make their own tamales at home; and great memories (and possibly new friends) from the evening — all for just $25 per person.
“It’s a way we can connect with our community,” says Rios, who shares a favorite moment from the inaugural event.
“We had a great mix of people,” she recalls. “One of the gentlemen had lost his wife just weeks before and he came with his daughter. He had the winter blues, and it distracted his mind. It was an amazing, humbling, heart-warming experience.”
In fact, Rios has been so pleased by the response that she has plans to expand the “teaching” sessions with salsa-making, tortilla-making, and pinata-making classes.
Click here to read other recent ¡Buena Ideas!
Don't miss a thing! Subscribe to el Restaurante's digital publications for free by clicking here.